Amazon Prime Pantry delivers 45 pounds of groceries and household items to Prime members for a flat $6 shipping fee. Here’s how to maximize the benefit.

Update 5/24/18:

Prime members in select regions can pay an additional monthly Prime Pantry membership fee to receive FREE shipping on all orders of $40 or more, or pay a flat $7.99 shipping fee for each order placed. The quantity of items in the order or the number of boxes will not affect the flat $7.99 fee per order.

First off, take stock of everything you buy on a regular basis, whether those items are available on Prime Pantry, and how the prices on Pantry compare to the prices on Subscribe and Save. Don’t forget to take into account the additional 15% off you’ll get on Subscribe and Save orders, and never forget to check for coupons.

Remember those no-rush shipping credits you always ignore because no one has purchased an MP3 in ten years? Those credits will frequently be offered in the form of Prime Pantry credits that ameliorate or wipe out the $5.99/box fee. Even better, Amazon has regularly been running promotions where they’ll waive the $5.99/box fee if you order a select five items. Combine that promotion with the no rush shipping credits you’ve stocked up on for a $6 credit on your box.

One more thing: the Amazon Store Card, which grants you 5% back on all Amazon purchases, including Prime Pantry orders. Once you’ve wiped out the $6 shipping fee, applied coupons, and gotten that 5% back on top of Amazon’s low prices, you’ll have a hard time justifying a drive to the grocery store, unless you’ve got a Trader Joe’s.